Gigabit fiber service comes to the Jackson County area

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STEVENSON, Ala. - North Alabama Electric Cooperative is excited about the launch of its new fiber service in Jackson County with the goal of providing better and faster internet opportunities. "We built approximately 1250 miles of fiber through some of the most rural areas that you will find," says Bruce Purdy, the general manager.

With the decline of industries in the Stevenson and Jackson County area since 2002, North Alabama Electric Coop decided to invest in more broadband to help with recruitment. "Without broadband, it's very difficult," says Purdy. "The chance of us recovering from the losses we have incurred was minimized because of our lack of broadband."

A faster gig service will make the internet easily accessible on multiple platforms at once. More downloads and streams can be done, maximizing the amount of content that can be reached. "We're going to need more and more bandwidth to do the things that businesses and industries would like to do."

Not only will this be good for developing the economy, this fiber service will impact schools. "It allows them to compete on a global scale. Our children will be able to take internet classes, access to information all over," says Anthony Buckner of Jackson County Schools.

With school textbooks moving online and different job opportunities moving inside of people's homes, North Alabama Electric Coop says this service was the perfect step.